Harness attachment for securing nets and blankets.



F. H. MGCORMICK. HARNESS ATTACHMENT FOR SEGURING NETS AND BLANKETS. APPLICATION FILED DBCA 30, 1912.

1,081,054. Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

FRANCIS HENRY lVIoCGRMICK, OF HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN.

HARNESS ATTACHMENT FOR` SECURING NETS AND BLANKETS.

To ZZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that T, FRANCIS HENRY lido-Common, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hillsdale, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have in vented an improved Harness Attachment for Securing Nets and Blankets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a device adapted to be attached to the hip-strap or other portion of a harness for holding nets or blankets in place when in use, and also as a guard to prevent a horse switching his tail over the reins.

The device comprises a bucklelike frame, a prong or tongue pivoted thereto, and a spring for holding said prong in either of two positions, to wit, folded as when engaged with a net or blanket, or extended laterally as when serving as a reinguard.

in the accompanying drawing, Figure l is a side view showing my invention secured to the hip-strap of a harness and engaged with a net so as to hold it in place on a horse. Fig. 2 is a view showing the device applied and arranged as required to adapt it to serve as a rein-guard. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the device applied to a strap and its prong engaged with a blanket as required for holding the latter in place when in use. Fig. 4: is a perspective view showing the device applied to a strap and the prong in the folded position. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are perspective views of the different parts of the device disassociated from each other. Fig. 8 is a side view of a portion of the device with the prong extended laterally as when used as a rein-guard.

The device is formed of a bucklelike f aine A, a slightly curved plate spring B, and a prong C which is secured to a bar D that is journaled in the frame A and thus adapted to rock, as required to enable the prong to be placed in different positions. The body of the frame comprises a plate or bar l having a stud 2 on the inner side and connecting two parallel side pieces or cheeks 3, which are provided with openings 4f adapted to receive the journals or trunnions 5 of the rocker D. The ends of the frame A are formed as rectangular loops and project from the cross-bar or plate l at an angle of about 45o. The upper or inner sides of the end bars are provided with notches 6 adapted to receive the ends of the plate spring B. The rocker bar D has flat portions adapted Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 30, 1912.

Patented Dec. 9,1913.

Serial No. 739,251.

to rest in contact with the spring B so that the latter tends to hold the prong in the folded position shown in Figs. l, 3, and 4;, or in the extended position shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The trunnions 5 of the rocker bar have laterally projecting lugs 7 which are adapted to engage notches 8 formed in the cheek pieces 3. ln other words, the outer edges of the openings t in the cheeks 3 are extended, or provided with notches adapted to receive the lugs of the rocker bar when the prong is extended laterally as in Figs. 2 and 8. This construction is a material aid to the function of the spring in that it serves to hold the prong more rmly in the laterally extended position than would be the case if the function were performed by the spring alone.

Yln practical use, the device is applied to a hip-strap m or other portion of a harness, the strap passing under the end bars 6 of the frame and over the central cross plate 1 and the stud 2 projecting into a hole in the strap, as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the device is prevented from' sliding on the strap, yet it may be easily adjusted on the latter higher or lower, as conditions require.

In order to secure a net y or blanket e, the prong C is passed through the meshes of the net or through the body of the blanket and then folded down into the position shown in i Figs. 3 and 4, whereby it clamps the net or blanket securely, so that it is kept in position on the animal.

lhen the device is used as a rein-guard, it may be adjusted in the position indicated in Fig. Q, in which case the prong is extended laterally as there shown and also as illustrated in Fig. 8.

The device is simple in construction, very eliective in use, and may be easily and quickly adjusted from one position to another, as conditions require.

What I claim is 1. The improved device, comprising a bucklelike frame having end portions provided with notches and side portions constructed with openings having lateral eX- tensions, a plate spring applied to the frame with its ends engaging said notches, and a pivoted prong having a rocking base against which the spring presses, said prong being journaled in the openings of the frame and having lateral lugs adapted to enter the lat eral extensions of said openings, as described.

2. The device comprising a bueklelike ably engaging the ends of the latter, it being freine having t central transverse bar prosupported in Contact With the said base bar, 10 vided with e stud and parallel cheeks proas described.

vided With openings, a prong having a rook- FRANCIS HENRY M CCORMlCK ing base-bar which is journaled in said l openings and constructed nterniediately V'Vtnesses: with flat portions, and a plate spring eX- BENNIE J. MARTIN, 2

tending lengthwise of the frame and detaeh- WILLIAM H. WELDEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

